Happy New Year Lions,
 
Kindness Matters. Over the holiday season, I read news stories about how a simple disagreement lead to someone’s injury or death. One such story was about an argument over what to watch on TV; someone was shot and killed over this. So why would I start my first article of the new year, with such a sad commentary?
 
Kindness Matters. It lead me to consider the times over the past year when I have been less than kind. Most of the time these acts of perceived unkindness were not intentional. Sometimes, I was unkind as a gut reaction to something someone had done; such as shutting someone down for interrupting a presentation I was giving. Yet, there was one act of unkindness that stands out among all the rest and that was to one of my club members, Lion Ray. It doesn’t matter why it happened, it just did. I embarrassed Lion Ray in front of some guests he had at a club meeting. While I apologized to Lion Ray afterwards, the harm had been done – I had not been kind.
 
Kindness Matters. So do words and actions. As we begin this new year, let us resolve to be more kind to our family, friends, neighbors, and fellow Lions. Past Council Chair David Radtke (who by the way is running for International Director at the February convention) tells the story of how each day he puts on his Lion pin (you know the one you received when you became a Lion) upside down. It remains that way until he does an act of kindness. Sometimes simple gestures keep us focused.
 
Kindness Matters. The acts of kindness I am referring to are those sincere acts. We are kind because we want to be, not for ourselves, but for the people we are kind to. I ask each of you to join me this year in being kind. The more acts of kindness we do, the more we will discover our world is a better place to be.
 
Together leading our legacy into the future,
 
Mark Piva
1st VDG
[email protected]

“The Party Line” I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house growing up. And as most young children, whenever the phone rang I ran to pick it up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always a call for my grandparents. Back then they had a party line phone, which meant they shared a telephone line with another phone customer. Depending upon the type of ring, the incoming call was either for you or the other party. And it was common to wait to make a call until the party on the other end completed their call. My parents were part of the modern age and had a single line phone. No waiting for us.
 
Over the years, we have all experienced a lot of technological and social changes, some good and some not so good, depending upon our personal values and lifestyles. When I left home for college, I asked for an electric typewriter. Not that I was able to type, only now I would be able to not type faster. While at college, I charged fifty cents a page to type papers for other students, and $1 per page if I needed to use carbon paper. When erasable bond came out, we all thought it was a miracle. If I made a mistake typing, all I had to do was erase it away. This was followed by liquid paper. I was living in the fast lane now. Then the 1980s came along and I was introduced to the personal computer. Things haven’t been the same since.
 
As we all get a bit older, we sometimes lament the “good old days”. And some of us take an enormous amount of pride if we leave our mobile phones home for a day. Others get hives. Like most technological and social changes, they have their good features and their bad features. It is our choice how we use the technological tools we have today, and how we respond to social changes. It is our choice to look for the silver lining or to accept the dark cloud of gloom.
 
I do not miss the party line phone, but I miss my grandparents. And I know for them the phone itself was a life changing event. It shook up their world and allowed them to converse with relatives across the street or across the Atlantic to Portugal (to their native country).  As we celebrate this season with our family and friends, let’s take a moment to consider how our lives have benefited from these changes, and remember that whether these changes are good or bad is determined by how we respond to them.
 
Together leading our legacy into the future,
 
Mark Piva
1st VDG
[email protected]

Hello Lions,
 
One day I was listening to a lecture on American business practices and the speaker stated that one difference between Japanese and Americans is the Japanese look for patterns while the Americans look at the detail. I do not know if what the speaker said is true or not. What I do know is many people get so bogged down in the details they do not see how the pieces are interdependent. This leads them to fix the piece with no care or understanding how or if it will affect the whole. They cannot see the forest for the trees.
 
This year we are seeing the forest and beyond. District Governor Randy just keeps sayin’ “We work for you.” “It not about us, it’s about the clubs.” Always ask “is it good for the district”? “Mark, my truck is dirty, get the hose!” For some people, these are just a tired old phrases; for Randy, they are real and heartfelt. He wants each of us to succeed.
 
When I was elected 2nd Vice District Governor, one of the many things that initially came to mind was, “Cool, now I will not have to worry about getting a seat at an event.” Quickly, I realized that the seat saved for me, was not where I should be sitting. I should be sitting with club members learning more about them. As part of the governor team, I have come to appreciate what it means to help Lions find answers to questions, direct them to the person or group that can best help them, and represent them at the Multiple District.
 
We see the interdependent pattern of Lions working together to make our communities better, one service project at a time. We see the forest and recognize that as District Leaders, we need to relight the flame of Lionism in some clubs, encourage clubs in their efforts, and share our successes throughout the District. When we do, we all benefit. We understand this is a multi-year effort that will continue to strengthen us and allow us to continue serving people for years to come.
 
Together leading our legacy into the future,
 
Mark Piva
1st VDG
[email protected]